


Scarabs, Why Did it Have to be Scarabs?

by HibernatingHermit



Series: The Mummy - Missing Scenes, One-Shots, and Other Pointless Drivel [8]
Category: The Mummy (1999), The Mummy Series
Genre: Ancient Egypt, Bugs & Insects, Caretaking, Developing Friendships, During Canon, Extended Scene, Hurt/Comfort, Jonathan being awkward, Just more pointless drivel from yours truly, Medjai - Freeform, Mild Gore, Minor Injuries, Missing Scene, One Shot, One Shot Collection, Rick shooting things, Scarabs, Short One Shot, Slight sexual tension I guess, hints at romantic attachment, just a little bit of blood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 12:34:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29332386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HibernatingHermit/pseuds/HibernatingHermit
Summary: After being attacked by a flesh-eating scarab, Jonathan is patched up by a certain Medjai.
Series: The Mummy - Missing Scenes, One-Shots, and Other Pointless Drivel [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2005471
Kudos: 12





	Scarabs, Why Did it Have to be Scarabs?

“Hold him,” Rick commanded, and Ardeth’s hands gripped Jonathan’s waist and his other arm, the one that wasn’t currently being invaded by a flesh-eating scarab.

Jonathan, his eyes frantic as he watched the scarab crawling under his skin — felt its horrible little legs and its pinchers and its body — cried out desperately, “Do something! Do something!”

With a single swift movement, Rick drew a knife from...somewhere, eyes fixed firmly on the scarab.

Jonathan’s eyes widened. “Not that! Not that!” He begged.

He squeezed his eyes shut. The knife blade cut into his skin. He screamed through his teeth. Ardeth held him tighter. There was an awful pinch, a pull, and then —

Jonathan opened his eyes. O’Connell was flinging the cursed bug across the room, drawing one of his pistols. Jonathan scrambled behind Ardeth, watching in horror as the nasty little insect seemed to hiss at them. He unknowingly grabbed hold of Ardeth’s arm, only for Ardeth to move it out in front of him as if to protect him. The bug charged, and O’Connell blew it to smithereens in one shot.

“So much for the element of surprise,” he muttered, returning the gun to its holster.

From behind Ardeth, Jonathan stared at the bits of bug scattered on the sand-covered stone. He clung still to Ardeth’s arm, which remained in front of him like a shield.

Rick turned to them, nodding at Jonathan. “You all right?”

Jonathan tried to catch his breath, tried to calm his racing heart. The best way to do that was to be dramatic, of course. “What do you bloody think?!” He exclaimed, voice pitching upward.

Rick just kind of grunted at him, shrugging before turning back to the pile of rocks and beginning to dig again.

Jonathan suddenly realized he was still holding desperately onto Ardeth, and released him. The sudden movement pulled at the hole in his shoulder, the horrible ache in his arm from the scarab’s treacherously carved path, and he winced, bringing his other hand up to press to the stinging, bleeding wound in his shoulder. His eyes flickered down to his hand, and he saw there the bug’s entry, ripped and torn skin, and he had to remind himself it was over.

“Here,” Ardeth’s quiet voice caused him to look up, meeting dark eyes filled with a surprising amount of concern, “let me see.” He had his hands held out and open, gesturing slightly with them toward Jonathan’s shoulder.

Jonathan held out his arm, and as Ardeth inspected the wound, Jonathan found it hard to believe that this fellow, though now on their side, had just recently been trying to kill them. It wasn’t difficult for Jonathan to recall being chased down by this very man on horseback, wielding a very large sword indeed. A sword that hung on his belt even at that moment. But it was all right now. After all, they’d survived a plane crash together.

Ardeth seemed satisfied with his inspection and lowered his hands. Jonathan watched as the Medjai pulled aside the skirts of his robes slightly, grabbing hold of the hem of his tunic, and ripping a good bit of it off.

When Ardeth straightened back up, he took Jonathan’s arm ever-so-gently in his hands. Jonathan was surprised at how gentle he was. He didn’t expect it from a warrior. Not that he was complaining, of course.

With deft fingers, Ardeth began to wind the makeshift bandage around Jonathan’s wrist and hand, concealing the ripped skin from any dirt or debris that might infect it. It was carefully and quickly done, and Jonathan was quite impressed with the handiwork. He didn’t say a word, however. Ardeth seemed lost in deep concentration, and Jonathan wasn’t obliged to interrupt it.

Until, that is, his shoulder was due to be wrapped. It required the removal of his shirt completely, which made him self-conscious, and as Ardeth was wrapping up the injury, he was very, very close. So close, in fact, that Jonathan became both self-conscious and a little flustered, the latter of which he was ashamed about, because there was no reason for it.

Feeling as if he were being pulled into an intimate embrace while Ardeth articulately wrapped his shoulder, Jonathan had to break his own tension with some sort of ridiculous comment.

“You’ve done this before?” He asked, gesturing with his chin to the bandage.

Ardeth nodded slightly, never ceasing in his work. “Yes.”

“Ah,” Jonathan said, straining to see exactly what Ardeth was doing, but it was too close up, “flesh-eating scarabs climbing into people’s bodies a common occurrence, then?”

“No.” Ardeth tied something off and stepped back. “There, it is finished.”

Jonathan brought his good hand up, ran it over the bandage. He rolled his shoulder and instantly regretted it as it pulled at his injury. His mobility, however, was unaffected by the excellent bandage.

“Thanks, old chap,” he said. Looking up at Ardeth, he gave him a grin. “I hope never to return the favor.”

Ardeth returned his smile in a very small, subtle way. It was pleasant. Jonathan felt they were becoming friends.

“Okay,” O’Connell’s voice tore their eyes away from each other and over to him. He was looking particularly peeved. “Can you two quit messin’ around and help me move these damn rocks?”

**Author's Note:**

> Honestly I’m just excited I got to use the word ‘smithereens’


End file.
